IMPORTANT TO READ: First, we will not force anyone who can read to learn a new spelling system. We envisage a measured, phased-in introduction of a better spelling system in schools, after consulting all stakeholders. In this blog, we describe why a change will be beneficial to all and how it COULD take place.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

We MUST REFORM ENGLISH SPELLING ...

2) Because, it makes sense, educationally and financially. Instead of spending useless time and energy learning hundreds of spelling rules and thousands of exceptions to the rules, we could actually spend time and energy teaching more important concepts. This would foster:

BETTER EFFICIENCY: Can you imagine how much time educators could actually spend developing critical thinking skills, analytical skills, advanced mathematics skills, emotional and social skills,... if they did not have to teach these highly inefficient and irregular spelling rules (I mean exceptions)? It takes billions of dollars to fix illiteracy.

MORE SUCCESS: By and large, successful readers use a few rules that work (like the 2 vowels rule) AND memorize words that do not fit those rules (sight words). Students who are logical thinkers looking for a pattern are frustrated and students who have a good memory are advantaged. And, guess who ends up in learning assistance classrooms! So, we have some of our brightest minds unable to read and feeling lousy about themselves.

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES: More human beings would learn it and be buying English material (even more so than now). Programs could easily translate text into the new form or forms (and also allow a translation to the original form). We would have a true world language. Do you have any idea how much easier it would be to teach and learn? Why would you want to make it tough? What is a language for? Obfuscation or easy communication?

3) Because English is the most popular and important language in the world. Would you rather have the Chinese learn English or us having to learn Chinese? There are billions of people who are trying to learn it !YET, English is one of the most difficult language to spell AND decode (read) in the world! If you don't believe me? Check this out!

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Please vote, as I intent to use this data to affect change at the political level! Thank you! Tell others about this site!

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If you believe that English spelling should be kept like it is now, please leave a comment telling me why and invalidate all aforementioned arguments. ...............